Bicycle.



No. 836,040. PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906. G. M. HORNEGKBR & C. BLANKENHEIM.

BICYCLE.

APPLIOATION PILBDMAR. 12. 190s.

eline' l En 73 WLM/wwe;

rm: Norems PETERS can, wasHlNcn-m, n. c.

GEORGE M. HORNECKER AND CHARLES BLANKENHEIM, OF WHITING, INDIANA.

BICYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application liled March l2, 1906. Serial No. 305,617.

F0 a/ZZ whmn it Wtcty concer-7e.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE M. HOE- NECKER and CHARLES BLANKENHEIM, citi- Zens of the United States, residing at Whiting, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to bicycles or motor-cycles; and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide a cushioning device for the front wheel or wheels which shall be of simple construction and which will be completely housed in, so as to prevent dust and dirt from interfering with the action of the springs.

Another object is to provide a cushioning device for the hub of the front wheel of a bicycle in order to absorb the vibrations and jars to which this wheel is subjected upon rough roads.

These and other objects are attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the front fork of a bicycle made in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same looking toward the side of' the fork. Fig. 3 is a detail section of a tubular brace and socket for one of the springs.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of our invention, the numeral l designates the fork-stem, and 2a 2b are plates which form the fork-crown. Secured to these plates is a tube 3, said tube extending downward and provided with a flange 8 at its lower end. A spring 6, contained within the tube 3, bears at one end against a stop 6L within the tube 3 and its opposite end bears against a tube 5, said tube being fitted to slide within the tube 3 and having the hub 7 of the wheel secured thereto by means of lock-nuts 7a or in any suitable manner. Small tubes 4 4a are secured to the forkcrown and extend through the flange 8 of the tube 3 and are secured at their lower ends by means of lock-nuts 9 9a, fitted to the threaded ends of the tubes. A socket 3a, containing a spring 6a and provided with a flange 3b, is fitted to the lower end of the tube 5, and through the flange 3b the ends of the tubes 4 4a extend and are secured in place by means of said lock-nuts 9 9a.

It will be understood from the foregoing paragraph that the entire cushioning device, consisting of two tubes 3 3 and springs 6 6a, located upon opposite sides of the wheel, extend in a straight line from the stem l to the hub 7, and for this reason the wheel is easier to steer than would be the case of a curved fork of the usual construction. Moreover, the bearing is in a direct line and is more eflicient on this account.

A cushioning device constructed in accordance with our invention may be used to advantage upon the front wheels of motorvehicles and will absorb many of the shocks and vibrations incident'to these wheels, for when applied to bicycles the tire may be either a cushion or solid one, since the cushioning device will serve to take many of the shocks or jars from the tire.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A cushioning device for bicycles comprising a tube secured to the fork-crown and provided with a flange at its lower end, a spring within the said tube, a wheel, the hub of which is secured to the tube sliding within the spring-tube and bearing against one end of said spring, a socket, a spring therein, flanges formed on said socket, and bracetubes extending from the fork-crown through the flange of the spring-tube and through the flange of the socket, said braces being adjustably secured to the latter flange by lock-nuts, substantially as described.

2. A cushioning device for bicycles, comprising a tube carried by the fork-crown and provided with a flange at its lower end, a spring within said tube, a plunger element slidable in said tube and carrying a wheel, the upper end of said plunger element being engaged with said spring and the lower end projecting out of said tube, a socket to receive the lower end of said plunger element and provided with flanges, a spring in said socket engaged with the lower end. of said plunger element, braces carried by the forkcrown and extending through apertures in IOO the flanges of said tube and socket, and ment, and means for adjustably securing means for adjustably connecting the socket said socket to the fork-crown. to said braces. In testimony whereof We have hereunto 3. A cushioning device for bicycles, comset our hands in presence of tWo subscribing I 5 prising a tube carried by the fork-crown, a Witnesses. s ring in said tube, a plunger element slida le in said tube and projecting therefrom, its upper end being engaged with said spring, a socket into which the loWer end of said plunger element projects, a spring in said socket engaged With said plunger elecEoRGE M. HoRNEoKER. CHARLES -BLANKENHEIM Witnesses:

A. B. HOFFMAN, JOHN W. DANIGK. 

